Program Guidelines

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) established a Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program (CMRP) to assist communities across the country to properly conserve cenotaphs/monuments to Canada’s war dead and Veterans.

Background

There are an estimated 6,000 local cenotaphs/monuments that are dedicated to Canada’s war dead and Veterans across the country. The vast majority of monuments in Canada have been erected as a result of efforts by community groups, provinces, private sponsors, regimental associations, or Veterans’ organizations. Over time many of these monuments have fallen into disrepair and the groups that built them have been unable to provide the care required to restore them, or the groups no longer exist.

Program Objective

To assist communities across Canada to properly conserve their cenotaphs/monuments and to preserve these places of remembrance, reflection and thanks for those who have served Canada.

Cenotaph/Monument Definition

A statue or structure (excluding buildings and artifacts - air crafts, tanks, cannons, etc.) erected to commemorate Canadian war dead or Veterans or an event associated with a military operation in which Canada was actively engaged since 1867.

Program Guidelines

Guidelines have been established to review requests and evaluate cenotaph/monument restoration projects in a fair and equitable manner. These guidelines will be used to assess the eligibility and merits of a proposal.

Eligible Organizations

Municipal governments, non-profit organizations (including the Voluntary Sector), ex-service organizations, registered charitable organizations and associations, historical organizations, and educational institutions.

Non-Eligible Organizations

Individuals and private sector businesses are not eligible to apply for funding under the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program.

Eligible Projects

Cenotaphs/monuments throughout Canada, in need of repair, which meet the definition of cenotaph/monument.

Non-Eligible Projects

The following is a list of non-eligible projects under the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program:

1. Funding for the creation of new cenotaphs/monuments;
2. Restoration of artifacts which serve as or form part of a cenotaph/monument (for example air craft, tanks or components thereof);
3. Cenotaphs/monuments outside of Canada;
4. Cenotaphs/monuments that are dedicated solely to an individual;
5. Projects which have received previous funding from Veterans Affairs Canada within the last three years for the purpose of restoration.

Funding Conditions

The program can provide support of up to 50% of eligible expenses, not exceeding a maximum of $25,000. A minimum of 25% of the overall project cost must be cash while up to 25% can be contributions made by in-kind donations. These in-kind donations could include materials, consulting fees, labour, etc. A description of the expenses related to the in-kind contribution, as well as its cost break down, are required with all project proposals.

Recipient organizations must complete the activity for which they received funding. They must contact the Canada Remembers Division of Veterans Affairs Canada if they wish to make substantial changes to the activity. If an organization cancels or significantly scales down the activity for which it received funding from the Department, it must reimburse all or part of the amount received at the request of the Department.

All expenses related to projects that were incurred before the date of application will not be eligible for reimbursement.

Assessment Process

After applications have been received, they will be filed and processed in a first come first serve order. Organizations are required to include all the information requested on the application checklist. Submissions which are not complete will not be evaluated until all required materials have been received by Veterans Affairs Canada. Once all required materials have been submitted, they will be forwarded to a review committee which will include representation from national Veterans’ organizations as well as experts from organizations or institutions involved in reparations and conservation of this type.

Assessment Criteria

Each application will be assessed by the External Review Committee on the basis of all information and supporting documentation provided as per the following program requirements:

1. The project proposal.
   Is the proposal well prepared and well presented?
   Is all the information required included with the submission?
   Are all the questions answered?
   Does the application include quality pictures of the areas needing repairs on the cenotaph/monument?
   
   
2. Creation of partnerships in the community.
   Is the community supportive of the project?
   Are the other community groups or the private sector involved with the restoration?
   Are they contributing financially or by in-kind contributions to the project?
   Will community groups support on going maintenance once the cenotaph/monument has been repaired?
   
   
3. Importance of cenotaph/monument to its Community?
   Is this cenotaph/monument of importance to the community?
   Is it well utilized for remembrance activities?
   
   
4. Level of investigation carried out and their reasonability and appropriateness, the proposed solutions, and scope of work.
   Do the investigation findings appear to provide enough information to reasonably reach the conclusions made?
   Do the identified symptoms indicate that there is a problem that should be treated?
   Do the identified symptoms match up with the identified causes?
   Are there other obvious problems that could be adversely affecting the cenotaph/monument that have not been identified?
   
   
5. Proposed solutions and their reasonability and appropriateness to treat the identified problems and following the recommendations of the CMRP conservation guidelines.
   Would maintenance better address the problems identified?
   Has the principle of minimum intervention been followed?
   Do the proposed treatments represent a sound approach?
   Are there any significant deviations from the guidelines, and if so are they appropriate for this particular situation and well tested?
   Do there appear to be appropriate precautions included in the scope of work to protect adjacent materials?
   Is there a possibility that the proposed treatment will result in a new problem?
   
   
6. Construction documents such as drawings and specifications of the proposed scope of work.
   Does the scope of work appear to be appropriately defined?
   Do the specifications and drawings appear to be reasonably clear and site specific?
   Do the requirements for mock-ups, testing, and submittals appear to be appropriate given the proposed scope of work?
   Do the documents appear to make the heritage conservation nature of the work clear to the contractors?
   
   
7. The budget and its appropriateness for the scope of work.
   Does the budget appear to include an appropriate contingency given the level of understanding about the problem?
   
   
8. Schedule of work, time lines in relation to the scope of work.
   Is appropriate justification given for less-than-ideal scheduling requirements (e.g. carrying out masonry work in the winter)?
   
   

Reporting

All organizations that receive funding under the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program must complete and submit a final report at the end of their project for which funding was approved for. Copies of all invoices related to the project as well as photos of the work done, should be included with the final report.

Acknowledgement of funding from Veterans Affairs Canada

Recipients of funding from Veterans Affairs Canada are required to acknowledge the support of the Department in all promotional documents related to the activities supported. The conditions for such acknowledgements are specified in the contribution agreements.

Submitting an Application

There are no application deadlines for the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program. All project submissions will be sent to the Canada Remembers Division of Veterans Affairs Canada. Once received and filed, the project proposals will be sent to an external review committee. The review committee will be meeting several times a year to make decisions on project submissions

Submission Form

All questions on the submission form, which is included with these guidelines, should be completed and sent with all additional materials to Veterans Affairs Canada.

National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials Registration Form

To be eligible to access funds from the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program, cenotaphs and monuments must be registered with the National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials.

Check to see if your cenotaph/monument is registered at: www.forces.gc.ca/dhh/memorial/engraph/search_e.asp?cat=2 (external link)

A form to register your cenotaph/monument can be accessed electronically at: www.forces.gc.ca/dhh/downloads/memorial/form_e.pdf (external link)

Contact Information

If you have any questions pertaining to the submission form, you can contact the Canada Remembers Division of Veterans Affairs Canada at (902) 566-7230 or by email at cmrp-prcm@vac-acc.gc.ca . Your completed submission form should be mailed or faxed to:

Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program
Canada Remembers Division
Veterans Affairs Canada
P O Box 7700
Charlottetown, PE C1A 8M9